SOUTHERN AFRICA. 379 
Hottentot, however, was foon found, to whom were known all 
the places where water was moft likely to be met with, and he 
was glad of the occafion to ad: as guide. 
Having mounted a fecond waggon to carry the neceflary pro- 
vifions and grain for our horfes, we fet forward at an early hour 
in the morning, in order to arrive at the fteep edge of the 
mountain before dark. From this precipice, which in many parts 
is not lefs than two thoufand feet, the Karroo plains beneath ap- 
peared as a vaft fea, and the horizon was interrupted only by 
a few diftant hills, rifmg out of the dreary wafte like fo many 
iflands. We defcended the precipice where it was leaft fteep, 
and having reached in fafety the bottom, juft before dark, we 
yoked frefh oxen into the waggons, and launched forth upon the 
defert. About midnight we halted upon the Thorn river, which 
unexpededly ran in a confiderable ftream, but the water was fait 
as brine. A fpring near the river called the St'mk fontejm^ threw 
out water that was faline to the tafte, and had a moft dif- 
gufting fetid fmell. The thunder ftorm and heavy rain, that 
for a whole day had continued on the Bokkeveld, had not ex- 
tended to the Karroo. The furface w^as dry and dufty, as in 
the middle of furamer, and the few fhrubby plants that are 
peculiar to this fort of country, generally of the fucculent kind, 
were fo parched and ftirivelled, that vegetation feemed for a 
length of time to have been fufpended. 
We were here vlfited by a party of Bosjefmans, headed by a 
captain or chief. This man was well known to the commandant, 
having been of fignal fervice to him in expeditions againft his 
3 c 2 own 
